This invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of plum, Prunus salicina cv. ‘Suplumfortyfive’. The new variety was first originated by hybridization in June 2004 by Terry A. Bacon as breeder number: ‘PL878RB’.
The new variety ‘Suplumfortyfive’ is characterized by early ripening, a dark greyed-purple skin with red flesh, and fruit that is high in sugar and has low acidity. The fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfortyfive’ is also very juicy and has a mild flavor.
The seed parent is ‘Suplumeleven’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,902), and the pollen parent is unknown, being from a bulk of pollen from four plum varieties. The parent varieties were first crossed in March 2001, with the date of first sowing being January 2002, and the date of first flowering being March 2003. The new plum variety ‘Suplumfortyfive’ was first asexually propagated by Terry Bacon near Wasco, Kern County, Calif. in January 2002 by budding.
The new variety ‘Suplumfortyfive’ is distinguished from its seed parent in that the harvest of the new variety starts June 11 while the harvest of the seed parent Plum Tree named ‘Suplumeleven’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,902) starts July 1st.
The new variety ‘Suplumfortyfive’ ripens at a similar time to ‘Early Queen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,583) but the fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfortyfive’ has a red flesh compared to the amber flesh of the fruit of ‘Earliqueen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,583). The new variety ‘Suplumfortyfive’ ripens at the same time as ‘Black Splendor’ (unpatented) but the fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfortyfive’ has a mild skin compared to the tart-bitter skin on ‘Black Splendor’ (unpatented) when firm-mature.
The new variety ‘Suplumfortyfive’ has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by, for example, budding.